Housing, Health and Disability Assessments

The Council’s Common Housing Register is a register of all the people applying for social housing in the borough. People on the register are awarded a priority for re-housing according to their need. Some people may need to be re-housed because their current home is very unsuitable due to their health problems. If you or another member(s) of your household has a severe and enduring medical condition or disability, you can ask us to look at your need to be re-housed.

When you apply to the Common Housing Register you will be asked about your health needs and your need to be re-housed. If you are already on the register and your health has greatly deteriorated, or if you have been diagnosed with a significant health problem, you can still ask us to look at your priority for re-housing, based on health grounds.

An overwhelming majority of applicants to the Common Housing Register are not re-housed due to health problems. We will only award sufficient priority for you to be re-housed where a move to a more suitable property would greatly improve your (or a member of your household’s)  independence and/or ability to access essential services.

We can also recommend the type of housing that you and your household needs to meet long-term needs. If you would like more information on accessible housing, please see the section on the Accessible Housing Register.

How can I request a health assessment?

If you are applying to the Common Housing Register, you should complete the Health information section of the application form. If you are already on the Common Housing Register, you should call us to discuss your health needs. We may then ask you to complete a health and disability self-assessment form, giving details of the relevant issue(s). Where more than one member of a household has health issues that need to be assessed, a separate form must be completed for each person and be submitted at the same time. The form will ask you to identify your GP and other health professionals who can provide us with supporting evidence. Do not ask them to contact us, our health assessor can make contact and request any information they need.

What happens next?

We will look at the information provided on your self-assessment form and may contact your GP and other relevant professionals. We do not usually need to make direct contact with you at this stage. Once we have completed the assessment, we will write to you to tell you the results. We receive a very large number of requests for a health assessment. It can take up to 15 weeks (and sometimes longer) to complete the assessment and write to you.

Are re-assessments allowed?

Re-assessments are allowed if:

  • your health (or a member of your household’s health) has greatly deteriorated
  • you/they have been newly diagnosed with a severe medical condition
  • new information has come to the Council’s attention and/or the Council has reason to believe the level of priority previously awarded may be inappropriate or need review.

How to find out more

In person:

Customer Service Centre

The Town Hall

Hornton Street

London W8 7NX

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm

 

By phone:

Housingline 020 7361 3008

 

By email:

housing@rbkc.gov.uk (general housing enquiries)

 

Information from this document can be made available in

alternative formats and in different languages. Please contact

Housingline on 020 7361 3008 or email housing@rbkc.gov.uk